RAOC Gazette - page 109
Image details
| Corps | RAOC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Journals |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | RAOC Gazette |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1981 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | No |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1981 |
| Late date | 1981 |
| Transcription |
MAIDEN BOWLED OVER T TTU | v l ^ L ^ X J CI JLrfjli J_ J. JliXXk? r f^^\ X \J THE EDITOR BRING BACK THE DADOS From MAJOR P. A. CHAMBERS Dear Sir,—Major D. St J. Eve (Bring Back the DADOS—June GAZETTE) argues that RAOC has lost its identity and that this would somehow be regained by restoring the title DADOS. He sees the staff and services in an headquarters as distinct and separate. The staff have v a burden' and the services a 'natural function." Some S02s are purely 'service advisers 1 and therefore ' lowly/ He finds it disconcerting that the staff * tend to look upon (the services) as equals. 1 I disagree. A headquarters is an integrated whole com- prising staff and service branches. The two are interdepen- dent: neither could function without the other. Each is vital to the efficient working of the headquarters and the effective command and administration of subordinate formations and units. The title—S02 or DADOS—is largely irrelevant. What matters is the principle of unity and integration. My experience of headquarters within the UK is limited to Northern Ireland where service branches are fully integrated into the staff structure. The assumption by the services of what were tradi- tionally Q staff responsibilties has consolidated this integration. Far from being * lowly' the services are respected for their professionalism and expertise, I concede that here are many who think that S02s are filling army, as distinct from carps, staff appointments but all this proves is that the services are seen as an indispensable and fully integrated part of the overall organisation, From my albeit limited experience, I would argue that many of our SO appointments are as, if not more, demanding than some of their * sq earning' equivalents. We should there- fore be looking hard at selected S 2 and S 3 jobs with a view to converting them to full blown army staff appointments. What we must not do is turn the clock back and even consider more separatism represented by the reintroduction of such anomalous titles as DADOS. RAOC has not lost any of its identity. We may be able to achieve more but have absolutely nothing to regain, GEORGE MEDALS From MAJOR D. V. HENDERSON (RETD) Dear Sir,—I am hoping that one of your readers can help with the answer to a query about one of the first RAOC George Medals. T/Captain R. Chalkey, IOO, \ AA Division disposed of a two hundred and fifty pound German incendiary in a large machinery shop; a task which involved a lot of work with a hacksaw, Can any reader help with the location of this incident? Thank you for your help in this matter? Replies to 62 Reddown Road, Coulsdon, Surrey CR3 1AX. Tel.: Downland 55533 please. FROM A BUTTON TO A BULLDOZER From W02 (SQMS) W. G. ARTHUR Dear Sir,—During 1964/65 a recruiting pamphlet under the heading From a button to a bulldozer was published and I appeared in this pamphlet. I would very much like to obtain a copy. So far I have been in touch with the MOD Library, RAOC Museum, Donning- ton, Bicester, and the Recruit Liaison Unit—all to no avail. Would you please be kind enough to publish my request in the next issue of T H E GAZETTE that, if anyone has a copy, would they please get in touch with me. Depot Superintendant, 87 Supply Depot RAOC BFPO 17. ^ c / n , ' f ^ '"'*' fV tf postgraduate student at the University °f Mu }H 'hester Institute of Science and Technology (UMtST) During 1981 much of her study has paralleled that of the 1981 Management Sciences Course, She has made the follow ini* observations on her unique experience, Dear Sir, When I discovered at my UMIST interview that ao unspecified number of army ollicers were to be on the same course as me I was filled with a vague sense of forboding. Mental images of the stereotyped military man wandered through my mind; little did 1 know that I was about to encounter the likes of Townsend, White, O'Brien and the rest. The cavalry twill image was dispelled in the first weeks and, once I realised that they could drink almost as much as me, I decided that even though they weren't students—they were the next best thing, Having become one of the lads, the autumn term became a time of taking in the army jargon, I soon found out about ATOs, 2tCs and AG9 (actually met him/it/them) and dis- covered that life in RAOC is in fact a long round of cricket, rugby and dinner nights. I also found out about sense of humour failures, which is what 1 had in the second term when they all hit the books and went on diets! Deprived of my lunchtime sessions in the Bowling Green (the local pub) I took up conversations with Lampard on the behavioural sciences and dreamed of halcyon evenings spent in the Talk of the North and other posh bits of Manchester. My life was changed in January when I met Bryan Hop- kinson and decided that my life's ambition was to become a camp follower. 1 somehow managed to fill the months between January and June, his next visit, when I discovered that—if majors spend their days playing rugby, then colonels spend theirs playing cricket. I even received great hospitality from the wives, despite my tendency to force their husbands towards the Bowling Green. Exams came and went and had us all flapping like proverbial whatsit and then the nerves of steel of the British Army, its courage and resourcefulness in the face of danger was demon- strated to me by Peter O'Brien, when he gave me a couple of driving lessons. All in all T suspect that my encounter has changed my life more than their encounter with a scruffy student has changed theirs. In fact my experience with the army has been en- ormous fun and I am now on the lookout for a hunky officer permanently based in Manchester, any offers? JWJVV THE COVER PHOTOGRAPH REEFED and ready to go The Corps yacht, Thunderer RAOC, crewed by Major Ross and Captain Hoe, moves out to the start-line of the Observer Double-handed Transatlantic Race from Plymouth to Newport Rhode Island. See also page 82. Goodbye—three thousand miles of Atlantic ocean ahead, time taken was twenty five days fourteen hours. 86 — The |
| Book number | R0250 |